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By the time they came off the dance floor, the suck-face spectacle apparently over with, someone had rearranged the hay bales perpendicular to the wall. Facing each other, Emily, Jake, and Billy occupied one side, while Griffin and Shiloh sat on the other. Made conversing easier, she supposed.
He came out of one of the stalls. And he wasn’t alone. His hand on her throat, Kellan backed the girl into a wall and kissed her. Voracious and hungry-like, the show he was putting on made Griffin’s and Billy’s look tame. It all made sense to her now, and the energy she felt here had a name.
Whoever the disheveled girl was, she obviously enjoyed his attention. Fingers sank into his tight faded jeans. She held onto his ass, rubbing her rail-thin body up against his dick. Blonde hair down to her waist. A cowboy hat on her head. Arien assumed she was beautiful, it seemed like everyone in Brookside was, but with his mouth all over hers she couldn’t say for certain.
Shaking her head, Emily stealthily passed her a flask. Fuck it. Arien tossed it back until the burn became too much.
If Tanner saw, he was pretending not to notice. Nudging him, she tipped her chin in their direction. “Is it her?”
“Huh?”
“That’s her, isn’t it?” She didn’t want it to be true, but what other explanation could there be? “The girl y’all are gonna marry.”
“What?” He began to laugh. “No.”
“That’s Cassie.” Shiloh rolled her eyes. “My sister.”
Emily leaned into her ear. “She’s a couple years older than us. Was in high school with him…and, you know.”
“Not following.”
“They used to fool around, kissin’ and stuff—nothin’ more than that. Kellan has a brother and Cassie has a sister. They’ve always known they’d never end up together.”
Wait a minute.
Her gaze flicked over to Griffin. He shrugged. “We’re not married yet. She can’t let me touch her, so I don’t mind her messin’ around some ’til then.”
Fucking bizarre.
“I don’t understand.”
“Rules, Arien. Nineteen.” He hitched a thumb behind him then pointed at himself. “Seventeen. But come my birthday, all bets are off.”
“Seriously?” She turned to Emily. “Eighteen is the fucking magic number?”
“That would be three,” she replied, biting on her lip with a shrug. “But yeah.”
“Let me see if I’ve got this straight.” With a shake of her head, Arien held her chin in her hand. “Does that mean when you turn eighteen and Billy turns seventeen…”
“What do you think I kiss her so much for?” Billy chimed in, laying a smooch on his girlfriend’s mouth. “It’s gonna be a long year. Got to get as many in while I still can.”
Jake’s lips turned up into a smirk.
“Oh, hell.” Leaning over to conceal her laughter, she reached into Emily’s pocket for the flask. “I think I’m gonna need that back.”
She didn’t hide it. Taking a long swallow, Arien ignored the burn.
“Making a conscious choice, knowing who and what you truly desire, having free rein over your future. All of those things are important, Arien.” Leaning over Emily and his brother, Jake took the flask from her hand. “The repercussions of the decisions we make are lifelong. You have to be of age to make them.”
Wow.
“Guess you’ve been waiting for Emily a long time, huh?”
“We have our whole lives together.” Taking her cousin’s hand, Jake kissed it. “She’s worth it. I can wait.”
“Well, I can’t.” With a wink, Emily grinned.
Arien glanced up at Tanner, then followed his gaze across the barn. Kellan stood there, his arm casually slung over Cassie’s shoulder, but it was Arien he was staring at. She looked away.
